London’s Best Christmas Events 2018

No one in the world celebrates Christmas quite like the English. Northern Fir has already provided the lowdown on London’s best Halloween events, but wait until you see how the grand old city celebrates Christmas. Winter is the perfect time to wrap up warm and experience the city, from the Christmas lights to dedicated festive events. Here are some of the London-based Christmas events that you and your family simply cannot miss.

Christmas By The RiverAlthough there are various Christmas markets to be visited in London during the holidays, arguably none are as festive as Christmas By The River, which is held annually at London Bridge City. This particular Christmas market offers around 70 chalet-style stalls selling food, drink, and all manner of gifts. It’s the perfect way to enjoy this modern city’s yuletide vibes while rubbing elbows with both locals and tourists. Alongside the stalls are frosted winter cabins, twinkling lights, and a variety of festive decor – all located between London’s pier and the picturesque Tower Bridge. Indulge in everything from food and drink tastings, storytelling, and crafts workshops that can up your own gift-giving game.

Santa RunWhat better way to show your Christmas spirit than through a charity run? Apart from the obvious health benefits of taking the time to exercise during the most notoriously calorie-heavy time of the year, the Santa Run comes with the fun novelty of doing so in a Santa Claus costume along with hundreds of other Christmas celebrants. More importantly, participating in this Save the Children-sponsored run will help raise awareness on the dire situation of children in war-torn and poor areas across the globe. It’s actually just one of the many creative charity events ran by this non-profit organisation. Save the Children will also hold a Christmas Jumper Day on the 14th December. Apart from raising awareness, Christmas Jumper Day is all about getting involved in charity through Christmas traditions, which makes it and other Save the Children events fun for the entire family.

Peter Pan CupThis one’s not for the faint of heart. Every year, a bunch of brave Londoners in swimsuits try not to shiver in the cold while gathering for a competitive swim at the Serpentine in Hyde Park. While this is a members-only event, you can watch these skimpily-clad Christmas celebrants take to the water and perhaps consider joining the Serpentine Swimming Club if you’re so inclined. Just make sure you’re prepared to see several people jump into a freezing lake in the middle of December.

Oxford Street Christmas LightsNo Christmas trip to London would be complete without checking out at least one of its many dazzling displays of Christmas lights. When the season comes, Oxford Street is usually the first to put up and switch on a singular, gorgeous display of electric cheer. With over 1700 baubles and 750,000 LED lights, Secret London rightly refers to Oxford Street’s lights display as the “grand mack daddy of Christmas lights” in London. If Oxford Street is too busy for you, various other London neighbourhoods and institutions offer their own localised dazzling lights displays to get everyone into the festive spirit. This city’s vibrant culture is best experienced through holiday events that bring out the best in every Londoner. This Christmas season, make London your next family holiday destination, as everyone needs to experience an English Christmas in the capital at least once in their lives.